A young Bahraini adventurer has big dreams to set a Guinness World Record for being the youngest mountaineer to have scaled the Kyajo Ri mountain, which stands at an altitude of 6,186 metres.
Ali Ahmed Shakib, who is pursuing his medical degree at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Bahrain, summited the peak in Nepal’s Khumbu region last year at just 18 years old.
Located east of the Everest, Kyajo Ri is known for its technical sections, including steep ice and rock faces, exposed ridges and mixed climbing terrain. Additionally, it offers stunning views, making it appealing to experienced climbers.
“This was one of the hardest and most technical expeditions,” the now 19-year-old from Manama told the GDN.
“I’m currently in the process of applying for a Guinness World Record as the youngest person to summit Mt Kyajo Ri at 18 years, seven months and 16 days old,” he added.
While the verification process is currently underway, if officially approved, this achievement could become one of the first major Guinness World Records in mountaineering connected to Bahrain, according to Ali.
The aspirant medical doctor’s hike ‘to the top’ began at the tender age of 14 when he embarked on his first trek to the Everest Base Camp, thousands of metres above sea level. He was accompanied by his father Dr Ahmed Shakib, a retired plastic and burn surgeon, who has braved the climb around 30 times since 1990.
Following in his father’s ‘footsteps’, the extreme sports enthusiast has climbed to the Everest Base Camp a total of four times. His other major expeditions include Mt Elbrus at 5,642m, Lobuche at 6,119m and Mt Island Peak at 6,189m.
“Ever since I was young, my father used to travel to the mountains every year, which sparked my passion for mountaineering,” he noted.
However, Kyajo Ri was his most challenging climb yet. Preparing for it was far from easy as he was juggling training with university work and examinations. He also had to level up his fitness routine to match the demands of the peak.
“It was not easy because I had very limited time and I honestly did not have the fitness level I needed before the climb, but luckily I had a great personal trainer, David Martin from Lion Heart Fitness, who helped prepare me both physically and mentally.
“Kyajo Ri is located in a very isolated area deep in the Himalayas, making even reaching base camp extremely difficult. Fortunately, expedition manager Kul Bahadur Gurung from Alliance Treks and Expeditions managed the logistics perfectly.
“We started our summit push at around 3am in complete darkness, freezing weather and harsh winds. Just 30 minutes in, we faced a massive, steep wall of black ice and rock. This is where most people turn back but I did not give up. I kept slipping and my fingers froze solid like ice cubes – I could not move or feel them. When my climbing partner saw this, he immediately said we should turn around but I could not accept it.
“After weeks of training and everything I had been through to reach this point, turning around felt impossible. In hindsight, this was wrong because in mountaineering, the most important skill you need is knowing when to turn around.
“I started feeling dizzy, which is dangerous at such an altitude but asked for one last try. We worked to warm my fingers and get the blood flowing again. I stood in front of that wall one more time, face to face, knowing that this was my last chance. I decided to put my crampons (to improve mobility) on, and the next thing I knew, I was over it. I cannot describe how it felt. I knew then that I would make it to the summit,” Ali recounted.
Despite overcoming the challenge, the ordeal was far from over. What followed were hours of ‘pure suffering’, exhaustion, freezing weather and more technical challenges. However, at 9.01am, Ali made it to the top and raised Bahrain’s flag on the Kyajo Ri.
“We stayed only a few minutes before descending, reaching back late at night – a total of 21 hours of non-stop climbing in harsh conditions, with no food and little water – just willpower and teamwork.”
Reminiscing the experience, Ali noted that mountaineering is not only about reaching the summit, but also about patience, discipline, teamwork and pushing through fear and suffering.
“I am optimistic about setting the Guinness World Record and making my country proud. I hope it will inspire more young people in Bahrain and region to chase impossible dreams regardless of where they come from,” he added.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))